


A Guiding Light

by turnitup



Series: Seal Team Week 2021 [2]
Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Feral Behavior, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:42:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28753092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnitup/pseuds/turnitup
Summary: What would it take to disrupt the bond between two people that don't know the meaning of quit?
Relationships: Sonny Quinn/Clay Spenser
Series: Seal Team Week 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2113044
Comments: 16
Kudos: 46





	A Guiding Light

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a Sentinel AU featuring the concept of "Sentinels and Guides" which is a trope that originated in The Sentinel fandom.
> 
> A quick introduction (borrowed from Upright Infinity on tumblr) for those who are unfamiliar:
> 
> Sentinels: A Sentinel (Watchman, Guardian), is a person with all five of his or her senses being hyperactive/acute. They can see, hear, smell, taste and feel everything many times more than a normal human is capable of. i.e. a Sentinel would be able to read the fine print on a newspaper from fifty feet away. They are able to tell how many people are in a different room, from feeling the body warmth these people give off through the stone wall separating them. They can focus on someone’s heartbeat to determine if they are lying or not. And many more such useful tricks. Each Sentinels strengths will vary, with some having all 5 senses enhanced and other only 1. 
> 
> Territoriality: The Sentinel is described as having a primal instinct to protect his/her tribe (which may be composed of other Sentinels and Guide or mundanes. Sentinels have a territory (the boundaries of which they determine) and that they’re extremely protective of it. This protective instinct can lead to instances of feral behaviour. Typically the strongest Sentinel in the tribe will be the Alpha of the tribe. 
> 
> Zone outs: This is when the Sentinel gets hyper focused on one sense and blocks out all other input, becoming almost catatonic. They have to be coaxed out of it by a Guide with quiet talking and contrasting sensory input.
> 
> Guides: The Guide is usually presented as someone who is good at calming the Sentinel, who has a strong connection to their emotions, and who are generally a stabilizing influence on the Sentinel. Guides are empathetic and presented as the people who are most capable of getting Sentinels out of deep zone outs. Guides can assist all Sentinels but feel a pull towards their chosen Sentinel. 
> 
> Bonding: Compatible Sentinels and Guides can form a bond (think soulmate AUs). Majority of authors depict the bond as giving them an awareness of each other’s location and empathy, in addition to assisting with zone outs. Other effects of the bond vary depending on the author.
> 
> Interested? Questions? I highly recommend checking out Upright Infinity on tumblr for more in-depth analysis and history:
> 
> \- https://infiniteeight8.tumblr.com/post/68075231337/misspaperlilies-said-what-is-this-sentinel-guide

A sudden sharp, debilitating pain caused a haze to snap in Sonny's mind. He’d been so concerned about tracking the HVT and protecting his brothers that the painful call of his Guide was quickly overwhelming. 

Sonny was gone. Bravo Three was gone. Only the Sentinel remained. And he was hunting.

* * *

Trent cursed as he heard the cry of pain from Clay and the thud from the general direction he was at. He turned to glance at Jason and they both took off running. Ray was coordinating from Havoc Base and Metal and Brock were escorting the hostages back. He could feel Metal’s worry for him emanating from where he was safe inside HAVOC base.

So focused on getting to Clay, he almost missed the cliff. Grabbing a tree, Trent looked down and could just barely make out the still form of Bravo Six, thirty feet below him. He and Jason could make the jump easily and so could Sonny; but it looked like Clay hadn’t been given the choice. Scenting the air, Trent could smell Sonny and the HVT but the fact that Bravo Three wasn’t at Clay's side spoke volumes on the situation.

“What are we looking at Trent? Think he's gone feral?”

Trent nodded as he prepared to jump down and attend to Clay. Jason cued his radio, “Bravo 1 to HAVOC, we're going to need medical on standby. Bravo 6 took a tumble down the southern side of the ravine. Status unknown."

“... Bravo 1, Can you repeat your last?”

“Looks like the HVT threw Clay from the top of a thirty foot cliff. Sonny's in the wind. We need anyone who is not bonded or a Sentinel pulled back now. If Sonny comes across them while hunting the HVT, he will not hesitate to go through them.”

“Davis will take care of it. How's Clay?”

“Breathing. Trent's with him now.”

* * *

The pain was intense. His leg - not his leg - couldn't be his leg again. He could feel the sedative that was moving through his veins, trying to keep him under but there was something else on top of it all, trying to wake him up. He knew he wasn’t in a bed. He was swaying too much for that.

Forcing his eyes open, Clay warily looked around. He was still in the forest. He reached out and grabbed the man beside him, recognizing Trent as soon as he mentally swept the area around him. There was someone missing and he tried to reach out farther. Sonny wasn’t anywhere near and he couldn’t feel him. He reached into their bond and found nothing. His Sentinel was blocking him.

“Stop. He’s waking up.”

“He shouldn’t be!” a new voice cried out.

Clay was jostled as he was set to the ground. The pain consumed his thoughts for a few seconds and he closed his eyes again. Finding his pain center, Clay ruthlessly shut it down. He needed to think. He needed to find his Sentinel. He could feel the breaks in his bones as well as the knot on the back of his head.

“Trrenntt. Where'd he go? Whe- where's Son?” Clay asked, opening his eyes to look at Trent.

“Hunting."

“No. Can't be alone. Not alone..” Clay tried to sit up but was pushed back down by an unfamiliar medic with a needle in his hand. Clay slapped the needle away. “I don’t need that.”

“Your leg is broken in at least three places.” The medic tried to keep him down but Clay shoved at him again and then he was allowed to sit up.

“Four, but that’s not what's important. I can’t feel him Trent. If I can’t feel him, he can’t feel me.”

“Fuck.” Trent's hand clenched down on Clay's shoulder. “You can’t feel him at all?”

“It's like hitting a wall. You can’t take me out of the area. Given that Jase isn’t here, I assume he’s trying to track him. You said that Son is hunting. I remember the HVT shoving me off the cliff and then nothing. He’s hunting down the HVT to kill him thinking that I am dead. He won’t stop unless he sees me.”

“You ain't going anyway fast there Sunshine,” Trent pointed out.

“Get me crutches and I’ll be fine. We can brace the leg but when Jase finds him or the HVT the only thing that could stop Son from doing something he'll regret is to get him to me. The bastard is running. His only thought is to escape."

“Realistically, how long can he evade Sonny?” Trent asked.

“The missing piece to the target package? The HVT is a Sentinel. I'd put my money on the Tier One Sentinel to track him though. We can’t let Sonny kill him. I might not be able to get him back if he kills him.” Clay shoved away the hands that tried to keep him down but he stood up on his good leg. He was shaky but he’d be fine as long as they got him crutches. “We can take the chopper. I need crutches and we need to brace my leg. I will knock all your asses out and do it myself if you don’t help me.”

Trent stared into Clay's eyes, noticing both the resolve and lack of pain. He'd heard of a Guide that had shut down their pain receptors once for their Sentinel but he’d never heard of someone doing it to themselves.

Right now, Sonny was more Sentinel than human and Clay was afraid that if he killed the HVT in a feral state that the human side of him would never come back. It could also impact his standing as an Operator. 

* * *

The pain was gone but the emptiness was back. His prey was weak. Had tried to hide from him but he found his trail. The hunt was making him want to rip him limb from limb. The prey had killed his mate. He was going to slaughter the prey and the prey was trapped.

* * *

“Sonny! Sonny Quinn!” Clay yelled as he came out of the trees to where his Sentinel could see him. He didn’t react. Supported by Trent, Clay hesitantly moved closer. Jason intercepted him before he could get close. 

“HVT's pinned near the top of the oak. Not sure this is a good idea Bravo Six."

“I know. If the HVT comes down, Sonny will kill him. There is going to be no way to get him out safely with the HVT alive. He’s got close ties to the terrorist cell we've been tracking for months. He's raped and killed eighteen people. He’s a threat to all around him, especially since he’s a Sentinel.”

“Are you wanting my okay to kill him or for me to kill him?” Jason asked. He started to check his weapon but Clay laid a hand and stopped him.

“Go back with Trent and Metal. Trent's got a tranq gun in case this doesn’t work like I think it will.”

“If you touch him, the pain could make him worse.”

“That's not an issue right now ,” Clay looked at Jason for the first time, taking his eyes off Sonny. “I haven’t since I was able to dampen the feeling. He won’t feel anything but my love when he touches me.”

With a startled nod Jason started back towards the edge of the clearing. 

* * *

His prey was right in his sight. He could smell him. There was another smell, the smell of the Sentinel that was known to him but he was staying back, not trying to take his prey from him. He’d worry about him after he was able to destroy his prey.

Locking his eyes on his prey, he watched as the prey’s eyes widened and then all light went out of them. His prey let go of the tree and fell. Crouching beside him, he found his prey dead. He spun to see who had taken his prey from him.

A man stood in front of him. There was a small part of his mind that sparked when he saw the man but he shoved that down, it was a trick. He snarled but stayed in his crouch. He was going to rip the man who took his prey from him limb from limb.

* * *

Clay watched Sonny’s eyes. He knew that there was a 50/50 chance Sonny would decide to attack him instead of backing down. It wasn’t ideal but it would get him skin on skin contact. He dropped the crutches and braced his weight best he could. Beyond flaring his nostrils, Sonny didn’t even react.

Reaching out empathetically, Clay tried to get into his Sentinel's mind. There was such a wall between them that he wasn’t sure he could even breach it with charges.

The moment Sonny leapt from his crouch, Clay knew he had miscalculated. Instead of controlling his drop to the ground, Sonny took him down. Clay's head knocked the ground and he was dazed for a few seconds but he was able to grab Sonny’s face and pull him in for a kiss. Skin on skin contact was the best way he had into Sonny’s mind.

Unfortunately the Sentinel side of him had taken over and there was only one option left. Sonny ripped his face away and as soon as he was back far enough, Clay cocked his arm back and let his fist fly. The shock of the hit was enough that Clay was able to knock him out with a mental blast. 

“Sitrep?” Jason called out.

“I'm alright. He's fucking heavy. Could use some help.” Clay was tired and pissed off. He couldn't roll Sonny off him without possibly hurting his already injured leg. His shields were battered and weak. He was exhausted and couldn't hold on any longer. As soon as he let go he felt the pain flood back in. Darkness came for him.

* * *

Sonny opened his eyes and immediately regretted his decision when the light sent a spike of pain through his head. Felt like he'd been bucked off a bronco and hoofed in the head. He couldn’t remember where he was but he could feel his tribe was close and his Guide was curled up next to him. The soft beeping of heart rate machines and the biting smell of antiseptic told him the rest. Fuck. He was in the hospital and he had no idea how he got here. 

Shifting on the bed, he found that he wasn’t hooked up to any machines but there was a few machines keeping track of Clay’s vitals. He reached out with his free hand and gently brushed Clay's hair away from his face. Besides a few superficial bruises he looked fine but he could smell of blood on him. Getting agitated, Sonny continued his cataloging, scrapes and abrasions covered his arms, fingers splinted together and his leg was in a heavy duty brace. What the hell had happened? Who the fuck had hurt his Guide?

“Sonny?” Jason called softly. Sonny looked over and saw his Alpha and team lead sitting in a chair. He looked tense. “You back to yourself?”

"What the hell happened! Back to…” Sonny's snarl trailed off as the fog slowly lifted. Watching Spenser's limp body fall down the ravine and then the pain. The overwhelming pain. His hunt through the woods and then Clay killing the HVT. Sonny _attacking_ his Guide. Clay knocking him out. Well - that explained why his jaw hurt. “Yea, Boss Man. I’m back.”

“Good. Clay doesn’t have a concussion but he's got a hell of a goose egg on the back of his head. Five stitches to close up the wound. Two fingers are fractured and his leg is broken in four places. He’s been out since he turned his pain receptors back on after going after you in the woods. The doctors wanted to keep you in different beds but Trent and Eric overruled him.”

“Yea.” Sonny gently pulled Clay closer with the arm that was wrapped around him. Concentrating, he could just feel the hints of pain coming through Clay's end of the bond.

“The doc gave him a non-narcotic pain medicine. Trent thinks he just exhausted himself and he's recharging. Hell of thing, kept his pain receptors blocked for over two hours while we tried to find you. He’s worn out.”

“The boys? Y'all alright? I didn't.. I didn't hurt anybody?”

“All good Son - you caught the bastard. Now, you might be in the doghouse once Sleeping Beauty wakes but you did good. Once Clay is awake we can all get out of this hellhole. You’ve been given a clean bill of health.”

“Why am I not restrained?” It was standard for Sentinels to be restrained after a feral episode. 

“Princess wouldn’t settle unless your arm was wrapped around him. You know, he was so sure that when you woke up that you would be yourself. The doctors trusted us and…” Jason held up a syringe. “This is enough to take an elephant out, think it could knock your stubborn ass out for several hours.”

With a smile, Sonny shook his head in disbelief and turned his head to brush a kiss across Clay's forehead. Shifting closer to his Guide he felt Clay's shields reach out to welcome him in. Sinking into the bond, Sonny welcomed the embrace and let the love and the calm wash over him.

**Author's Note:**

> Seal Team Week 2021 | Monday: Memory Loss
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcomed and appreciated!
> 
> I am also dabbling with the idea of expanding this fic into a series if anyone is interested?


End file.
